Through it all, Judee Woolley has painted. She put paint to canvass after Hurricane Iniki hit the island in ‘92, and painted through her battle with cancer. Actually, Woolley began painting as a coping mechanism right after the hurricane, and
Through it all, Judee Woolley has painted.
She put paint to canvass after Hurricane Iniki hit the island in ‘92, and painted through her battle with cancer.
Actually, Woolley began painting as a coping mechanism right after the hurricane, and her health, well, she’s winning that fight.
“I just kept painting,” the Eleele gallery owner said of working through all the peaks and valleys of her journey. “And I feel gifted that I can still do it.”
Two decades into her artistic career, Woolley has created hundreds of oil paintings, realistic pieces capturing Kauai’s life and landscape.
Aloha flowers, sea turtles, chickens and Kauai’s unmistakable scenes, like the Na Pali Coast and Waimea Canyon, are images Woolley has detailed.
The images are a far cry from her artistic upbringing. Woolley’s mother drew for the Walt Disney Co., animating famous fictional characters like Bambi.
With artistry in her blood, Woolley turned toward realistic renderings when she finally started painting after the hurricane.
“Reality is harder, but I kept working at it and working at it,” she said of the difference between cartoon and life-like.
Nowadays, animated picture shows have gone more digital than pencil and paper, but Woolley sticks to oil canvasses.
“I’ve been told I mastered the turtle,” she said. “And I take that as a compliment.”
Her paintings will be on display from 4 to 7 tonight at her gallery, Woolley World Fine Art. The pieces range in size from smaller ones for under $60, to larger, high-end, original pieces for a couple thousand dollars each.
“I look at bright colors as very healing, so they’ll see a lot of bright colors,” said Woolley, who grew up in Sacramento and has lived on Kauai for 30 years. “I think a lot of the pieces are very soothing. I think people will pick up a lot of positive energy in there.”
The gallery, 4469 Waialo Road in the Eleele Shopping Center, has been open for a few months. Woolley had a gallery in Hanapepe, but closed it when she was recovering from cancer.
She’s healthy and thriving as an artist now. A raffle drawing for an original piece will be part of tonight;’s open house.
“I feel very gifted,” Woolley said of her ability to keep painting through it all. “I’m getting younger and more positive everyday at 67.”
Woolley World Fine Art’s hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10:30 to 5 p.m. and Sunday and Monday by appointment.
Info: 652-6125
